Automatic talking machine



' 4,Sept 6, 1932. w R. MOORE, JR 1,375,641@

AUTOMATIC TALKING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1929 z sneets-sheet `1 Sept. 6,1932. R, MOORE, JR I .1,875,641`

AUTOMATIC TALKING MACHINE Fi1ed Apri1 ga, 1929 ,2 spams-sheet '2 l l WillianRMoo/aJn akamu Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES dPATEN'I OFFICE WILLIAM E. MOORE, Ja., or EAGEESTOWRMAEYLAND, Ass'IGNOE rro nEcA-Drsc PHONOGEAPH COMPANY, OP wAYNEsBoEo, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMATIC'TALJIING MACHINE Application mea April 9,

This invention relates to improvements in automatic talking machines, and is an improvement over the .machine shown in my Patent No. 1,800 803, granted April 4142 1931, for automatic talking machines. The invention consists in improved mechanism for playing records of different sizes, and for changing the records in order, to simplify the structure of the machine and to eliminate unnecessary noise during the changing of records.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is aview in elevation of parts of a phonograph showing my improved record changing mechanism,

Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the mechanism for moving the phonograph tone arm f into and out of playing position, and

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of one of the record supporting posts, together-with the details ofswitch controlling means operated thereby. o Y

The improvement in this application over the co-pending application above referred vto consists in mechanism for selectively playing either a ten inch or a twelve inch record, using a single cam for moving the tone arm into and out of playing position. The improvement in the record chan g mechanism consists in substituting ashding sleeve or collar for the pawl and'ratchet andspring operatedmechanism in the above named application. l Y

In the drawings numeral 10 indicatesA a portion of the table, or bed forminga part of a cabinet of a phonograph of suitable design in which the upper end of a record changing camshaft 11 is journaled, the lower end of the shaft being journaled in end brackets of.

i. .a depending spider '12. The cam shaft 11 has supported on its lower end a cam 13 havin a cam groove 14 of suitable contour and s" ar l 1n most respects to the cam shown in 'the apl f plication referred to. 'Secured upon the upper end of the shaft 11 is a cam 15 which controls movementof .the tonevarm into and out of'playivng position. The mechanism 'for 1929. seriai No. 353,784..A

moving the tone arm in and out-as shown in detail inFig. 2 comprises anarm 16 rigidly secured to the lower end of the tone arm 17 This arm 16 has in its outer end a pin 66 passing through and loosely fit-ting a slot 18v in a lever 19. The lever 1'9 is pivotally secured at 20 to a'lever 21. The lever 21 isl pivoted at 22 to anyl vsuitable support on the frame of the phonograph. :A bracket 23 on the inner end of the lever 19 carries a roller 24C for engagement with the periphery of the cam 15. A lever 2,5 pivoted` at 2,6 has an adjustable screw ,2,7 threaded through its forward end, said screw engaging a leaf spring 28, which spring bears against the outer side 19 so that the roller 24 will always be in en- Y lgagement with the periphery of the cam 15, except in playing positlon, when the roller 24 is carried into the cut away position of cam 15 by the advancement of the needle on the record. In this position the cam 15 and -spring 29 are not exerting pressure `against i 23 being retarded by a stop 50 on the machine frame. The lever 21 is pivoted Vat 22 and is movable to either ofltwo positions, its movement being limited by stops 31 and 32. Any

suitable frictional securing means -may b provided to hold the lever 21 against either of the stops 31 or 32. When in the position shown in Fig. 2 the lever holds the pivot point 20 so as to position the cam follower 24 toplay a large record, for example, a twelve inch record. When the lever 21 is swung to engage thestop 32 the pivot point 20 is moved to the dotted line position shown at 33 in which position the cam follower roll is in pf of position from playing a ten'inch to a twelveV inch record therefore may be made by a-siniple adjustment;

The structure for supportinrthe records is substantially that shown in .the patent referred to, and consists of posts secured upon the 10.'. posts sition for playing a smaller record. LA change igure 14 in are preferably. substantially U-shaped in cross section. Pivoted to and within these posts are record supporting arms 35, these.

arms being positioned within standards 36. The standards 36 are pivoted at 37 to the posts 34. These standards have? rear notched portions 38 which have lugs 39 therethrough engageable by latches 40. The latches 40 are Within the standards 36 are pivotally mountgages prevent its rising. As soon as the record ed the record supporting arms 35. These arms have depending ends 46 to which are secured springs 47, the springs being secured at their upper ends to the posts 34. The supporting arms 35 have rear hook like ngers 48 which normally rest against the under side of the latches 40. The supporting arms 35 are pivoted at 49 in slotted holes so as to permit slight vertical movement to the arms. When the record supporting table 51 is raised'the record posts 36 are pushed out radially. As they are pushed out, their lower ends are moved in and since the edge 39 engages the latch 40, the arms 41 are swung in so that the ingers42 engage just above the lowermost record on the post. As the record table enthe lowermost record, the fingers42 table is lowered and the weight of the records is received upon the posts 36 the record arm 46 is moved down to its lowermost position bringing the edge 39 out of engagement with the lower part of the latch 40, which permits the latch to rest in its notch. As long as the record table is in its elevated position the supports 36 will beheld in their outermost radial position so as to keep the upper end of the armf 41 and consequently the fingers 42 in their innermost radial position. A pin 50 outward radial movement of the post The mechanism for moving the record table to change records comprises a sleeve 52 engaging the record table spindle 53. This sleeve has tensioning elements 54 by means of which it may be so tightened as to engage the shaft 53 and support it in elevated vposition together with its load of records. A roller 55 is secured upon' the upper end of the friction sleeve 52 this roller being adapted to travel in the cam groove 14 on the cam 13. Y A stop member 56 may be secured-on the frame of the machine in any suitable way, as for example, to a spider forming the lower end of the supporting means 12. The record changing means just described operates as follows:

When the record changing mechanismI has been set in motion the cam 13 revolves. The roller 55 traveling inthe cam groove 14 raises the spindle 53 by means of the sleeve 52, the said sleeve 52 engaging the spindle with Sullicient tightness to support the record table with its records. Vhen the top of the table comes in engagement with the bottom of the lowermost record on the supports, the finger 42 has moved in above the lowermostl record as described above, so that the record table cannot rise any higher. The sleeve 52 therefore must slide up on the spindle 53 a distance equal to the thickness of a record. As the cam 13 continues to rotate the sleeve 52 is brought down again to Vplaying position.

- When the record has been played and another record is to be taken upon the playing table the cam 13 is again caused to rotate. Upon starting Aits rotation the roller 55 will travel down into the valley 57 of the cam groove and in doing so will bring the lower end of thespindle 53 in engagement with the stop 56. Q This will cause the sleeve 52 to slide down the spindle a distance equal to the distance which it slid up bef0re,-that is, a distance equal to the thickness of a record. Con'- tinued rotation of the cam 32 will carry the record table to its elevated position to receive an additional record. Since the sleeve 52 was slid down to its original starting position, it will now be forced to slide up the thickness of two records as the table takes a new record. Having received its record it will return to the playing elevation as before, and as it goes down into playing position it stops the playing surface of the record at the same horizontal level each time. This will continue until all the records have been played, the sleeve 52 sliding up each time a distance equal to the thickness of all the records on the table and sliding down the same distance at the end of a record. It will therefore readily be seen that when the finger 42 does not come out at the 4top aft-er the .ratchet mechanism, as occurs 1n the prior application.

As shown in the above referred to application the records are supported upon a table 51. This table is driven by means of a motor 59 which is secured to a collar 60. A pin 61 extends through the collar and engages a slot 62 in a sleeve 63. The upper end of the sleeve 63 is enlarged at 64 and supports the record table 51. The sleeve 63 rests upon a spring 65 so as to maintain the sleeve in friction driving contact with the record table.

The slot in the sleeve permits the necessary vertical movement of the record table for changing records.

Furthermore, since the friction sleeve 52 always slides up on the spindle a distance exactly equal to a record or records, upon returning, it positions the top of the record to be played at eXactly the same level in playing position each time. Variation in the thickness of records will not affect the position of the record table.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claims.

' Having thus fullydescribed my said invention, what I claim -as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a phonograph for playing a plurality of records in succession, means for changing the records comprising a record table, a spindle supporting said table, means for raising an d lowering the said spindle, the said means having frictional engagement only with the spindle, substantially as set forth.

2. In a talking machine having a rotating record base, a motor for driving the record base, and a tone arm, means for supporting a set of inactive records, means for shifting a record from the record base to the inactive set, including a rotary cylindrical element having a cam track,'a spindle for supporting the record base, a sleeve frictionally held on said spindle and means on said sleeve engageable with the said cam to raise and lower the table by a distance equal to the thickness of a record the said sleeve sliding up the said spindle a distance equal to the said thickness, whereby upon returning the top to the record is always positioned at the same playing level, substantially as set forth.

6. In a talking machine having a record table, and a motor for driving the same, means for changingv the records comprising a spindle secured to and depending from. the record table,`l a sleeve 011 said spindle and having frictional engagement therewith, means for raising and lowering the sleeve to raise and lower the record table, stop means above said table to limit. the4 upward movement /of the table by a distance equal to the thickness of a record the said sleeve sliding up the said spindle a distance equal` to the said thickness, whereby upon lreturning the topof the record is always positioned at the same playing level, and a stop to limit the downward movement of the spindle the said stop causing the sleeve to slide down the spindle a distance equal to `that which it moved up to record taking position, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, this 6th day of April, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-nine.

W. R. MOORE, J R.

the record base upon rotation of the said sleeve for causingit to frictionally engage l the said spindle to support the stack of records, substantially as set forth.

.4. In a talking machine having a record table, and a motor for driving the same,

means for changing the records comprising v a spindle secured to and depending from the record table, a sleeve on said lspindle and having frictional engagement therewlth, and means for raisin and lowering, the sleeve to raise and lower t e record table, substantialing frictional engagement therewith, means for raising and lowering the sleeve to raise and lower the record table, stop means above said table to limit the upward movement of 

